Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Four

Victory At What Cost? a Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Four Update

 

 

The vines crunched underneath her boots, like the bones of large spiders, or those hideous bulbous potato bugs, she hated. Brianna fought to keep her breakfast. The short corridor was awash in bright fuschia and deep purple as pockets of vines climbed down the bulkheads to spread across the deck.

 

She was infused with a sense of dread, knowing the intention was to drive her screaming from the metal-encased doors straight ahead.  Finding her center, she moved forward. With shaky hands, she wondered, as she fumbled with the keycard, if it truly would fit this lock, too. Another example of the striking disregard for security at this complex. The card purchased her entrance, as the doors slid apart.

What met her eyes, held her transfixed. “Oh, my God, who or what are you?” A ginormous, bloated sentient blue plant that seemed to pulsate, was there inside of a ring. Dark pink tentacles waved as if captured by some breeze, unfelt. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she climbed the short set of stairs that led to a platform, almost as if she was bidden to do so. Brianna felt ant sized as she stared up at the beast, several stories high, she presumed was the Mother.

 

 “Well,” she said, “I am Lieutenant, J. G. Cantrell, and I have come to annihilate you. You see, in my eyes you are nothing more than an obnoxious weed taking over this garden called StrangerVille. And like all weeds you must be plucked. Unless, of course, you agree to take yourself back to whatever galaxy you came from and put an end to the frightful destruction you’re perpetrating on this planet. To put it more succinctly, go away!”

 

Kirk and Spock were busy talking about this mission when Spock suddenly began to chuckle. “Are you all right, Spock?”

 

“She’s got some moxie, as you would put it.”

“Come again?”

“She is conversing with something, busy telling it she’s there to annihilate it, and is now bargaining to have it remove itself.”

 

Kirk smiled and chuckled, too, at the absurdity of it. “That’s some bride-to-be you selected for yourself.”

“Let’s say it as it truly is, Jim. I have a feisty Le’mayta by the tail.”

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it? At least you’ll know life will be anything but dull. I think she’s going to be good for you.”

 

“I couldn’t agree with you more.”

 

 

Brianna turned and carefully took the stairs back down from the platform. She tempered her steps, fighting the urge to flee. Every bit of her wanted nothing more than to run back down that corridor and into the lab. Never let them see you sweat. Keeping her steps measured until she was out of the line of sight of this horrendous beastie, she turned left and walked more swiftly through the large room. Passing by the row of terrariums, that struck her as incubators, for the small pear-shaped blue plants within, such as the ones that dotted the yard when they first arrived at their home base. My God, she’s building an army!

 

Just through the arch at the other end of this long laboratory, she found the analyzer. Taking pieces of the spore pods she’d gathered using that handy device, she began to work on possible vaccines. Every now and again, she would gaze around the device, worried that somehow the mother would uproot herself and come seeking the interloper named Lieutenant Cantrell. Any sound made her jump. Ominously, the quiet made her realize she was all alone down here.

 

So far, the plant remained rooted in place to her relief. She had no sense of time, working diligently to fulfil her mission, as she was. Finally, she had three possible vaccines, which would require testing on those who were infected. Hoping beyond hope that at least one of them would work.

Passing back through the arch, she turned left and hastened her pace to begin the four flights of stairs back to the surface.  “Lieutenant, J. G.,” Kirk greeted her as she found the crew in the kitchen. “Good to see you’re alive and well.”

 

“Thank you, sir, I managed to create three sample vaccines. We need to get these tested right away. With only one protective suit, the team is going to need to be vaccinated against the infection. That beastie is huge. And . . . creepy.”

 

 

The Landing Party made it back to their home base, shortly before dawn. Brianna removed the protective gear and made a pot each of tea and coffee, bringing a tray to set before the others in the Livingroom. All thanked her, as they reached for their hot beverage of choice.

 

Catching movement outside of the window, Brianna rushed outdoors. Several infected neighbors came jerking toward their yard. Their unnatural movements were disturbing every time she saw them. Taking out the first container, Brianna opened the lid and tossed the powder-like vaccine into the face of her neighbor. To her complete surprise, it worked. The woman shook herself, smiled and said, “Thank you, how did you do it?”

 

“You’re welcome,” she cried, as Brianna ran back inside, “Captain Kirk, it works! I’ve managed to stumble upon a cure. We’ve got to head back. I’ll need to duplicate this formula!”

“Alright, listen up, we’re heading back to the lab. This time to hopefully put an end to this infestation.”

 

 

Making duplicate vaccines went much quicker than before. Within minutes she had several more in her arsenal.  Turning to Spock she inoculated him, first. Then Captain Kirk, and finally Commander Scott. She then recruited each one to help her defeat the enemy, which of course they willingly agreed. Then she led the group to the other set of doors.  Directing them to fan out, each took a side of the circle, while Brianna, clad in her H.A.S.M.A.T suit, the filter carefully secured with Spock’s help, took the platform. “On my mark,” she said. “Fire!”

Keeping an eye on the level of infection for her team, Brianna threw a cannister of vaccine at the beastie and it proved to have an adverse effect on the plant. Then she felt the irritation, anger emanating from it.  The beast suddenly turned its focus on her.  “Re----AHHH—treat! Retreat, retreat!” She screamed, just as the huge tentacle caught her up and held her dangling helplessly above the platform.

Brianna felt her body going numb, wondering if the plant had suffused her with some kind of paralytic poison. Heavenly Father, into your hands I commit my soul and body. Do Thou Thyself bless me, forgive my sins, and save my soul, o gracious Lord, amen. Then she went completely limp, the plant unceremoniously dropping her onto the platform below. Where she lay deathly still.

“Spock, my God, is she? . . .”

 

 

All for now . . .